Design on a Dime benefit

Last week was a whirlwind, between business, design work and installing our Design on a dime booth, my head was literally in the clouds. As a result, i lost, glasses, camera, one of my projects' floorplans (which we had to redo). To add to the list, the day following the event, we started a HUGE sale at Interieurs.

I am now gearing for my next benefit event which is the highlight of Greenwich Westchester social calendar, The Red Cross Gala. I am designing a table and forgot a major detail...the flower centerpiece, I also designed a fabric pattern exclusively for the table and....the fabric is lost somewhere in transit.The event is on Saturday May 3rd. Mercifully, I am waking up to a beautiful morning and will shortly go and check my favorite nursery for a dose of "gardening fix", as I am in dire need of perennials and replacement roses.

Design on A Dime was an amazing success, The private cocktail for viewing only was packed and socialites, as well as designers, were taking a mental note of what they will purchase. The furniture is donated by each  designer. In my case, I received wonderful items from our vendors, Innergaze with whom we do the most high end cabinetry work, built the white console. Romo donated all the amazing fabrics for the seating, and Mario Valle our wonderful upholster made the pieces. I commissioned the wonderful artist Gerry Mercado to do the two graf. paintings. Robert, at window mode, made tons of pillows for us as well, Design Within Reach and Soho Concept donated the 2 armchairs.Interieurs took care of all the rest of the pieces, rug, accessories, vintage lamp, heating pillar etc....

As soon at the red cords were pulled, the shopping frenzee started. I was stunned, within less than half an hour our entire booth was sold!!! paintings, upholstered sectional, rug, chairs, tables, accessories....everything SOLD!!!! I took a risk by going so bold, when the rest of the booths were rather traditional and it really paid off. The energy within our team was amazing, as exhausted but happy, we felt that we contributed a little to the ones in need. 
Housing Work is truly an outstanding organization and it is so rewarding to see designers come together for such a great cause.

WE had a late start, 11am installing the electrical wires to crate a ceiling

We could not proceed placing the furniture until the canvases were mounted , stressful was the word as the count down - everyone had  to be out by 4pm started. A benefit Gala Dinner was to be held that evening. By 3:30 we hung the paintings.Neighbors were looking at us with compassion and horror, never thinking we would make it on time and commenting on how insane we were to be so calm....

Estera and I with Gerry, a well deserved hug! Gerry was thrilled to see his painting being snatched away

Now the fun starts...

A couple of my favorite vignettes:

 

A Bientot,

Francine

Looking for a designer? Would love to help...

Creative??

 The world is my source, my inspiration and enables my creative thoughts

Here comes our monthly, "By Invitation Only". Our topic is about staying creative... and how one accomplishes that.

This is a personal quest. For me, it is very simple: I do not have a choice. I am am Interior Designer, furniture and lighting designer. If I am not creative, constantly in the moment while thinking ahead, I no longer have a purpose and would be condemned to a fate of boredom.

At this point, I think everyone around me would jump ship, my sons, my friends, colleagues, staff, my dogs and even my dear Mr Whiskers. I would be unbearable... (I do hope that my present self is indeed bearable).

How do I do it? Above all I am curious...so curious that it got me into some deep trouble, such as searching for the perfect graffiti in the worst neighborhood of Buenos Aires or looking into junkyards and chased after by some rather nasty dogs in Santorini. While in foreign lands, I love to explore, often getting lost, so lost that I need to be rescued by various passersby. I have become incredibly talented at hand language which, actually, in some countries can make a situation worse.

Getting back to how to stay creative: beyond being curious, one must live with open eyes and an open heart, embracing our surroundings, finding beauty even in the ugly and the discarded. I absorb colors, textures, scents and read. I am an avid reader and some of my furniture collections have been inspired by pages of a book.

Now the hard part.... staying young.... Being in an ever changing and challenging youth and beauty oriented industry is not for the weak at heart. We, as creative people, should really get a break in that department, but genetics have no respect for our creative minds. So, I stay young in spirit, in the now, embrace my kids' culture, their music, love to discover young artists, watch the latest independent movies, do not dress according to my age but according to how I feel , and am constantly on a learning quest.

Formula to stay creative: be daring, be curious, look around you, explore foreign surroundings, read novels and foreign magazines, stay alert, visit museums and galleries, walk into fabulous hotels and observe, watch nature. Embrace it all and experiment, Enjoy!

 A Bientot,

 

Francine

Interieurs hits Shanghai...

Do any of my regulars read Mandarin? Unfortunately, I don't, but I have visited China a few times, my son having gone to school in Shanghai and worked as a volunteer in Xian. Shanghai is a stunning vibrant city, with soaring skyscrapers and yet one can discover a hint of the old Shencheng and get lost in the labyrinth of its ancient streets, so - as you can see - I love the Shanghai!

When approached by the editor of Chinese Residence Magazine if I would agree to have my latest project published in their January edition celebrating the World's Most Creative apartments, I was thrilled! Shangai has become the center of Design and Architecture in Asia if not the world.

With any luck, next year this time I will be China working on a fabulous apartment along the Bund…

Thank you Yuki Wang for the great opportunity of giving me exposure in China.

Waking up....

I woke up to a glorious fall morning, my new iPhone by my side, I captured the morning's first ray of light.
I am a rather poor sleeper, anxiety ridden into the night... my bedroom is my retreat, my refuge of sorts. As I wake up, my eyes will open to this image, an antique chinese scroll once belonging to the grand son of the last emperor of China, a centuries old goddess statue from Cambodia, a glass necklace from Botswana and flowers from my garden. Waking up to this image encapsulates my life. I clearly recall the moment I laid my eyes on the scroll in an art gallery in the forbidden city in Beijing,  when I fell in love with this ancient statue in Cambodia and when I could not resist the colors of these glass stones while in Africa.
The walls of my bedroom are covered with artwork, soft oil paintings, ancient Indian works on paper, my dearest friend Michelle's paintings, simple drawings bought on the streets of Hanoi, an antique Buddha from Burma on my nightstand.
Every morning, I remind myself that the past is truly enriching my soul, making me stronger to accept the present and live every moment.
My bed is a cocoon with its woven cotton canopy from Bali, dressed in soft embroidered white linens passed on from my grand mother, and a soft luscious thick cashmere blanket. From my bed, I have an open view of the courtyard in its fall splendor, the wall beeing made of glass only, immersing the room into nature, gardens, the sounds of birds...

Enjoy the day,

Francine

Finding Serenity

Green is the color of life, green symbolizes self -respect and well being.

Green is the color of healing, it represents regeneration and growth, balance and harmony. It brings calmness, and soothes the senses and the nerves.

People who favor green tend to be kind and giving, loving, family oriented, creative and artistic. They enjoy life and comfort and care for the well being of others. 

Healers' first choice for treating physical, emotional, mental and spiritual is green as it contains powerful energies of nature, growth and energy.

Green is a medium for creativity, changes, growth, green protect from fear and anxiety.

I am in need of a little green!

It seems that my life is a constant whirlwind, professionally, emotionally and physically. It has been more than a month since my last post! Exhausted and stressed, I took refuge to our beloved family island in Maine. Drove 9 hours each way, wind blowing with the top down, to meet my family and friends. Three blissful days, immersed in green is all it took to soothe my nerves, brings back peace and calm and re-envigorated me for my creative quest. 

Church in Iceland

 Iceland original houses

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

via Pinterest

All photos by Francine Gardner, otherwise noted

Hope you have a little green in your life

If you would like me to create your personal and ideal home, contact me about our Interior Design Services

African Style...

Looking at the Victoria Falls, from our tent at the Elephant Camp in Zimbabwe.

My all time favorite movie, African Queen inspired fashion and home designers. To day, African style is alive and strong and "fashionable". Keeping the fashion aspect aside, African style runs deep in the core of my designs. I feel at home in Africa's rugged, dry landscape, among the gentle children whose life have been ravaged by warfare. Ever since my first trip to Africa, I am constantly thinking of when to return.... In my New York Showroom, elements of Africa have a strong presence. In my home, African art, photographs, textiles transform what would just be a house into a home.

I hope these few images taken during my travels, or my work will inspired you to bring a little bit of Africa into your life!

Waking up...

All images taken in the remote beautiful Elephant Camp Lodge, Zimbabwe

Artist: Art Propelled, South Africa

Interieurs.com inspiration page, from my travels through Africa

Guestroom I designed for a client with African inspirations 

A bientôt,

Francine

If you would like me to create your personal and ideal home, contact me about our Interior Design Services

Swimming pools...La piscine

Romy Schneider and Alain Delon in the french movie La Piscine

I live for the warm days and nights of summer. I live by the pool. By the pool, I sleep, dream, read, entertain, be with friends, my family, and swim...mornings and nights...I swim. It is my therapy, my relaxation, my time out, my reward for all my hard work in the garden.

So many  styles, shapes, sizes of swimming pools can provide endless pleasure.

Mine is my retreat, hidden from the house, surrounded by stone walls and my favorite scents of Rosemary, lavender and roses. Scents of my childhood summers, on the hills of Eze village above the Mediterranean.

My summer pleasures

Enjoy a great swim!

A Bientot,

Francine

If you would like me to create your personal and ideal home, contact me about our Interior Design Services